


Preparations

by small_secret



Category: Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Cannibalism, Clarice misses her gun, Cooking, Creepy Hannibal, Dark Will, Developing Relationship, Multi, Or Darkish Will, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-11
Updated: 2013-05-11
Packaged: 2017-12-11 13:25:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/799230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/small_secret/pseuds/small_secret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Making dinner is an event in which Will attempts to bond, Hannibal is amused, and Clarice hates her life. (tw: cannibalism) <i>Prompt: Hannibal cooking for his two darlings!</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Preparations

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt for [interestfinch](http://interestfinch.tumblr.com/).
> 
> So, I just need to get this out of the way. Kuru does not exist the Hannibalverses. Not in any of them. Now, I can accept Hannibal not getting Kuru because he's Hannibal Lecter. But Will or Clarice or just about anyone else? No, I cannot. No Kuru. And I just simply cannot write fluff in Hannibal without it getting creepy. Big trigger warning is cannibalism. Second trigger warning is implied dub-ness. However since it's Hannibal fandom, both themes are common enough.

It took Will a few times to realize a power struggle was going on.

 

It's innocent looking enough when he enters the kitchen to find it occupied by two people. One easily preparing the food and the other watching perched on the breakfast bar stool.

 

Oh, he was aware that Clarice was watching Hannibal intently it but didn't strike him as odd; in the few weeks she's been here, Will has come to understand Clarice Starling is a very intense person and he couldn't blame her. Will had done much the same six years ago when he began regularly having meals in Baltimore with Hannibal and watching him cook was something in of itself. The quiet zen-like grace that Hannibal only allows in certain activities of his life, the meticulous preparation of various vegetables and meats with a reverent respect for his tools, and the artistic judgment of spices and herbs that are seemingly so carelessly strewn into his meals.

 

Art and science into one. A pinch too much, a pinch too little - it can never be exact and the results vary to each mouth and each taste bud. It's a conductor of life and man's first recognition into sentience; smell and taste.

 

It's also easy to forget Clarice never met the man prior to his arrest. It's not until the first weeks of uncertainty and jealousy wane when Will allows himself to relax around her that he realizes... she came after Hannibal's arrest. Between the admiration of the man Will loves in the middle of his work, the odd sense of ease he has towards Clarice, and trying not to get in the tangle mess of dinner to feed the dog, Will doesn't notice. It's almost absurdly domestic. And it has been that way for Will in one location or another along the Mediterranean coast save the period Hannibal was in Italy and his jaunt in America before returning to Salamina with Clarice.

 

Strange the domesticity remains. But it's that same domesticity that makes him realize the posture Clarice takes while studying Hannibal. It's highly uncomfortable and her sharp eyes gleam like a hawk, rarely blinking. It's not a gaze of admiration.

 

She's wary. And it doesn't take a genius, which the room hardly lacks, to figure out what she's wary of.

 

He slides into the stool next to hers and for a few moments the room is silent save for the clatter of of Hannibal's knife against the cutting board. Tomatoes. "Evenin'." She greets first, her head inclines to him slightly but she never leaves Hannibal's form. Will swears he can see a smile ghost along the older man's lips.

 

"You look uncomfortable."

 

"'m fine."

 

Will casts Clarice a side long look and and ultimately decides that Clarice Starling is a terrible liar when agitated. He decides to repeat the obvious. Best way to break the ice on the elephant in the room. "Are you sure? You don't look fine."

 

"'m _fine_." She drawls out, eyes not moving off the broad back. "But ask me again in a little while, won't you? I'll stress the _I'm_."

 

And to the damn elephant's credit, the shoulders only shake _once_ in mirth.

 

Will leans over, and says in a stage-whisper, "He doesn't _always_ serve humans, you know." It almost seems gib, but Clarice Starling does not like being treated like a teacup anymore than Will Graham did.

 

"I've explicitly stated this more than once to Clarice, Will." The doctor says, pausing from chopping vegetables to light a candle set by the cutting board. "For whatever reasons she has, she's not inclined to believe me. It's all lost it's charm some years back and absolutely no fun when they already _know_.”

 

"Rumors abound to what went on in the States, darling," Will notes lightly to Hannibal, though his gaze is on his housemate - possibly the best term for Clarice right now in Will's mind - who still keeps her eyes locked on Hannibal.

 

"Rumors _nothing_ ," Clarice slides right into the conversation, long nails drumming the breakfast bar counter and her expression and tone completely deadpan. "You had a deer hunter for breakfast. I examined the body. You weren't even bothering to hide your signature."

 

"You never had the chance to see one of my better subjects." The doctor muses as he studies an onion, "Pity that. The leftovers were hardly worth saving let alone transporting to Greece."

 

Will now studies the long lean form of his lover and considers. It's a twisted affair with Hannibal and his purposes for _feeding_ others what he cooks; sometimes it's to bring society to the public shaming, to connect them to the sins as much as Hannibal could. Other times he feeds human flesh to bind; Will has been that victim who has become more than willing since that time. However, he knew the man before he knew the beast, and Clarice Starling knew the beast before knowing the man.

 

It strikes him then, as he looks at the doctor who studies the former agent with deep affection and the wave of guilt that briefly crosses Clarice's features. It strikes Will Graham that she has been fed human flesh. And she _knew_ it.

 

Clarice **enjoyed** it, too.

 

Will is briefly horrified and jealous; though he's not terribly sure who he's jealous _of_ at that moment. He pushes forward knowing he's going to feel like this _often_.

 

"Anyway, this island is too small to go 'shopping'," Will suddenly notes, "And it's ... rude to watch someone cook and not offer help."

 

Will half wonders why Hannibal hasn't asked that before as he glances to the older man for confirmation. There's a brief curl of a smile, the smile reserved only for Will, before dark maroon eyes turn to Clarice. A blade is offered to her, handle first. Despite himself, Will reaches over to gently squeeze Clarice's shoulder.

 

Hannibal hasn't asked because he wanted _Will_ to ask.

 

Clarice glances to Will, eyes meeting for just a moment. Only a moment. Then she slides out of the stool and approaches Hannibal and her hand wraps around the handle to take the cutting knife.


End file.
